THE INTRODUCTION. I HAVE been perfuaded, by a friend whom I reverence, and ought to obey, to write the Life of Richard Hooker, the happy author of five (if not more) of the eight learned books of The Laws of Ecclefiaftical Polity. And though I have undertaken it, yet it hath been with fome unwillingness; because I foresee that it must prove to me, and especially at this time of my age, a work of much labour to enquire, confider, research, and determine what is needful to be known concerning him. For I knew him not in his life, and must therefore not only look back to his death, (now fixty-four years past,) but almoft fifty years beyond that, even to his childhood and youth, and gather thence fuch obfervations and prognoftics, as may at least adorn, if not prove neceffary for the completing of what I have undertaken. This trouble I foresee, and foresee also that it is impoffible to escape cenfures; against which I will not hope my wellmeaning and diligence can protect me, (for I confider the age in which I live,) and fhall therefore but intreat of my reader a fufpenfion of his cenfures, till I have made known unto him fome reasons, which I myself would now gladly believe do make me in fome measure fit for this undertaking: and if these reasons fhall not acquit me from all cenfures, they may at least abate of their severity, and this is all I can probably hope for.-My reafons follow. About forty years paft (for I am now past the seventy of my age) I began a happy affinity with William Cranmer, (now with God,) grand nephew unto the great Archbishop of that name; a family of noted prudence and refolution; with him and two of his fifters I had an entire and free friendship: one of them was the wife of Dr. Spencer, a bofom-friend and fometime com-pupil with Mr. Hooker in Corpus Chrifti College in Oxford, and af ter ter prefident of the fame. I name them here, for that I fhall have occafion to mention them in this following difcourse ; as alfo George Cranmer their brother, of whose useful abilities my reader may have a more authentic teftimony than my pen can purchase for him, by that of our learned Camden, and others. This William Cranmer and his two fore-named fifters had fome affinity, and a moft familiar friendship, with Mr. Hooker, and had had fome part of their education with him in his houfe, when he was parfon of Bishop's-Born near Canterbury; in which city their good father then lived. They had, I fay, a part of their education with him, as myself fince that time a happy cohabitation with them; and having fome years before read part of Mr. Hooker's works with great liking and fatisfaction, my affection to them made me a diligent inquifitor into many things that concerned him; as namely, of his person, his nature, the management of his time, his wife, his family, and the fortune of him and his. Which enquiry hath given me me much advantage in the knowledge of what is now under my confideration, and intended for the fatisfaction of my reader. I had also a friendship with the Reverend Dr. Ufher, the late learned Archbifhop of Armagh; and with Dr. Morton, the late learned and charitable Bishop of Durham; as alfo with the learned John Hales, of Eton College; and with them alfo (who loved the very name of Mr. Hooker) I have had many difcourfes concerning him; and from them, and many others that have now put off mortality, I might have had more informations, if I could then have admitted a thought of any fitness for what by perfuafion I have now undertaken. But though that full harvest be irrecoverably loft, yet my memory hath preserved fome gleanings, and my diligence made fuch additions to them, as I hope will prove useful to the completing of what I intend : in the difcovery of which I fhall be faithful, and with this affurance put a period to my Introduction. THE |